Sol (Mexico)

no website found
Sol Cerveza Importe
Sol beer
4.5% ABV

This beer is a cheap Mexican lager in a similar vein to Corona.

Review

Faint lager characteristics on the nose, a golden clear liquid is poured with a white head.  Not really any flavour to write about, very light.  The beer has no weight or body.

If you want a flavourless, cheap beer that is very easy to drink then this is it.  Definitely a quaffer.

Scores: -

Aroma 2.5/10
Appearance 2.5/5
Taste 2/10
Palate 2.5/5
Overall 11/20

Total 41%

Murray's Best Extra Porter (Australia)

www.murraysbrewingco.com.au
Murrays Best Extra Porter
Murrays Craft Brewing Company
8% ABV

Murrays Brewery is situated just outside of Port Stephens on the mid north coast of NSW and is definitely a must stop, see and sample place.  They brew lots of different varieties and some very special single batches that are all available to try and the tasting rooms.

The Extra Porter was designed by New Zealand brewer Graeme Mahy to be a winter warmer like a Brandy or a fine Port.  These days Shawn Sherlock looks after this brew and each year it is tweaked accordingly.

Review

This beer has been brewed since 2008 and is definitely worth hunting out.  A very high alcohol level content is matched with some rich complex flavours that compliment each other.  The aroma is full of roasted coffee with caramel and an initial beautiful aroma of malt.  A dark, cloudy ruby liquid is poured with a tan head.  On tasting an instant explosion of flavour is unmissable.  The high level of alcohol is there but this adds depth and complexity to the mix of flavours.  The beer has quite a smooth palate but it is quite heavy, a slightly bitter finish rounds off this delicious beer.

Definitely something to sit and enjoy, a real beer, quite strong with some typical porter characteristics although you probably couldn't have too many.

Scores: -

Aroma 5/10
Appearance 3.5/5
Taste 6.5/10
Palate 3.5/5
Overall 15.5/20

Total 68%

Sapporo (Japan)

www.sapporobeer.com
Sapporo Premium Beer
Sapporo Brewery (Brewed in Canada)
5% ABV

Sapporo Japan's first brewery has been producing this since 1876.  These days the beer available in Australia is brewed in Canada which is quite surprising. 

I did however contact Sapporo to enquire why Canada?  To be told that the beer is actually going to be brewed under license by Coopers in Australia, which is great news for Australia.

Review

On pouring there isn't really any worthy aromas to write about, very faint characteristics of a lager are there.  A pale, light, fizzy beer is present once poured with a white head.  There isn't a lot of flavour going on, a little malt, a little grassy, you can taste a little alcohol but would have preferred to taste more malt characters.  The beer was very light in body, very easy to drink.  Refreshing and very session able.

For the type of beer this is this isn't bad.  You can drink a skin full and not get any overpowering characters.  A good quaffer.

Scores: -

Aroma 3/10
Appearance 2/5
Taste 4/10
Palate 3.5/5
Overall 14/20

Total 51%

Vale Ale - Pale Ale (Australia)

www.mvbeer.com
Mclaren Vale Pale Ale
Mclaren Vale Beer Company
4.5% ABV

Australian Pale Ale brewed traditionally with three malts and three hop varieties.
This beer was recommended to me so I looked forward to the tasting.

Not a great deal of information found on the beer.  This is another beer brewed by winemakers from a world class wine producing region of Australia.

Review

The initial aroma was pleasant; hits of yeasty bready notes were present.  Once poured the beer had a clear golden liquid with a white head that faded quickly.   On tasting the beer, a light hoppy character was present but the beer was more like a pilsner than a Pale Ale.  There was a little bitterness there but it wasn't overwhelming.  The beer was light bodied.  A very good session beer as it is easy to drink but personally I wanted more bite and more hoppy aromas.

Scores: -

Aroma 5.5/10
Appearance 3.5/5
Taste 5.5/10
Palate 3.5/5
Overall 15/20

Total 60%